Review:

on 2011-03-13 coletl89 Said:

The Felice Brothers are a very unique band from Upstate New York. A mix between Folk and Americana, they really deliver with their Self-Titled album. With songs like "The Greatest Show On Earth", Don't Wake the Scarecrow", and "Whiskey in my Whiskey", they utilize evrything from accordians to a pianos and even banjos. There is not one song that i do not enjoy on this CD, I have listened to this over and over and over. Of course it's easy to say "Frankie's Gun" is their most known and possibly catchiest, but the other songs really grow on you after a short period of time. The Felice Brothers really put on a great live show because of their energy and the fact that you can tell they really enjoy to play music, and this cd has the same exact energy as one of their live shows, just plain fun.

It's also very easy to compare these guys to Bob Dylan as I have seen done many times before, but quite simply, Bob Dylan has nothing on these guys. This album is classic, well-worth the buy.
Rating: 9/10

Review:

on 2009-07-02 fortunecookie Said:

Its impossible to take about The Felice Brothers and not make a reference to Bob Dylan. Lead singer Ian Felices vocals eerily echo Robert Zimmermans, and their songs maintain a similar folksy aura.

Lyrically, its all Americana  cheap whores, strong whiskey and trips to Chicago. The lyrics are narrative or kept very simple. Theres a general sense of melancholy in the words  the American dream dies amid drunken evenings and lost loves  but the upbeat instrumentation makes it a refreshing album. Bruce Springsteen comes to mind, but the quality here is much more interesting and musically sound.

If youre like me and rarely buy full albums anymore, Id recommend Frankies Gun! and Dont Wake the Scarecrow. While there are a few weaker spots on the album overall, such as the less-than-tight Goddamn You, Jim, I would say its worth getting your hands on the whole thing.


Rating: 8/10